Missing bungy 'funds' probe in Tsitsikamma

MILLIONS of rands in royalties from a bungy jumping operation have allegedly disappeared into a community trust led by a pastor.

Pastor Wilson Wogane, chairman of the Tsitsikamma Forest Village Trust, and a group of trustees are accused of misappropriating development funding intended for villages.

The trust was established almost 20 years ago by political and business leaders, including Reserve Bank governor Gill Marcus.

According to the trust deeds, the local community is supposed to benefit from a concession granted to the Bloukrans Bridge bungy jumping business operating on a road reserve along the N2 outside Plettenberg Bay.

Instead of paying rental to the South African National Roads Agency, bungy operators pay the trust.

The company claims to be the world's highest commercial bungy bridge.

Tsitsikamma Business Chamber chairwoman Yolande le Roux lodged a complaint with the Master of the Pretoria High Court, where the trust deeds are lodged.

As much as R17-million has been paid into the trust, but beneficiaries said they had not seen any tangible benefit.

Wogane did not respond to inquiries despite several requests for comment over the past three weeks.

According to documents submitted to the master's office:

ýTrustees paid themselves an allowance of R500 a meeting, contrary to the conditions of the trust deeds;

ýThe trust extended an interest-free loan of R20000 – with no repayment period – to Wogane's wife, who runs a catering company; and

ýCommunity members allege the trust donated R50000 for an ANC dinner party.

Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga said: "The Master will ask the trustees to respond to the complaints against them in terms of section 16 (1) of the Trust Property Control Act.

"In the absence of a response, the Master has the option to remove them as trustees."

Le Roux said the trust had failed to uplift the struggling communities.

She said only 12% of households in the Koukamma municipal area earned more than R6400 a month, and yet trustees appeared to be more intent on benefiting themselves.

An ANC representative, who did not want to be named, said problems with the trust were a major concern.

"The trust was structured in such a way that all the royalties from [the] bungy [operation] that were supposed to go to government for the use of [the] road were paid to the trust to benefit the community, but the community says they see no benefit," he said. - Bobby Jordan